Today is the last day you can purchase AppleCare+ for your iPhone 4S or iPhone 4, if you purchased it on October 14th or after. AppleCare+ was announced along with the iPhone 4S, and is available for $99 (two years). The plan not only gives you phone and genius bar support coverage, but also accidental damage coverage with a $49 service charge. The plan covers up to two accidents. $99 is a pretty solid insurance policy (Square Trade offers the same).
However, for new iPhone 4S purchases, the AppleCare+ protection plan can be purchased with the device on that day. Today was just the end of the grace period Apple instated for pre-orders. Thanks for the reminder Marco!
The developers over at Applidium are claiming they have cracked Siri’s security protocol, which could enable the speech recognition technology on any device. The possibilities of devices range from iPhone 4, to iPad, to Mac, to even Android.
Last month we showed you Siri running on an iPhone 4 (seen above), but today the possibilities look beyond that. With the crack, developers could even work to implement Siri inside of their own apps. Of course, Apple could push a fix for this sparking another cat and mouse game.
When it comes to this crack you actually need a UDID of an iPhone 4S to get this working. At any time Apple could block the UDID if they see something suspicious.
Applidium has released a set of tools for developers to begin cracking, and says it will be fairly easy to obtain a UDID with them. Check out their post for all of the details.
Following the recent release of the iTunes 10.5.1 beta 3 to developers, Apple today started pushing out iTunes 10.5.1 to the public. You should see the update appearing in Software Update any second, otherwise it’s already available for download from Apple’s site here.
Apple also confirmed the availability of iTunes Match in the U.S., with the following announcement on their iTunes page. iTunes Match syncs users’ music to iCloud for $24.99 a year. Unlimited songs can be synced and doesn’t affect iCloud storage, but only songs that are available on iTunes can be synced.
Even though it is available to the public, Apple is still labeling iTunes Match as a beta product. Developers who tested Match will still receive a free three months with a year subscription.
If you head on over to the Apple Support Forum you’ll find a very long list of issues people are having. The most prominent complaint is still the battery life. “The recent iOS software update addressed many of the battery issues that some customers experienced on their iOS 5 devices,” Apple said in a statement to All Things Digital. “We continue to investigate a few remaining issues.”
Among the Wi-Fi, microphone, and cellular issues, the other big bug in iOS 5.0.1 has to do with Contacts.app (via CNet). All of the names and numbers associate together inside of Contacts.app, but when making a phone call or sending a text through iMessage, 5.0.1 can’t seem to associate the name with the number as usual.
Popular game platform Steam, owned by Valve, has been hacked (via PC Gamer). Hackers were able to get into a Steam database, which included encrypted credit card information and passwords of many of its users. Steam isn’t sure at this point if the encryption of the credit card numbers or passwords have been obtained, but warns users to be on the look out for malicious activity. Steam’s Gabe Newell said in a statement to users:
Our Steam forums were defaced on the evening of Sunday, November 6. We began investigating and found that the intrusion goes beyond the Steam forums.
We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. We do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked.”
Steam is currently keeping their forums closed down while they investigate the situation. The Steam platform hasn’t been knocked down, however. Gabe’s full statement after the break:
Apple has released firmware updates for the AirPort Base Station and Time Machine, Camera RAW, and MacBook Pro this evening. The AirPort Base Station and Time Machine have been updated to version 7.6 which issues a fix with performance on overlapping wireless networks, AirPlay audio streaming, and configuring multiple entries for DNS servers.
This update resolves an issue where a MacBook Pro being used with a power adapter may unexpectedly shut down under heavy workload if the battery charge level is near empty.
Looking at the Apple support forums this afternoon, Apple’s iOS 5.0.1 update that was released today isn’t offering promised fixes of battery life (seen in the release notes) to everyone. Many users are still complaining, seeing battery life on their 4S’s dropping just as quickly as before. Here’s a few, out of many:
New update is no help at all. I opened Safari and lost 2 % just by opening it.
Upgraded to 5.0.1 this morning. Still draining at the exact same rate. Unplugged with a full charge 2 1/2 hours ago, and already down to 80% with light usage. Just lost 2% during a 15 minute shower. I see no difference at all.
Same here. Updated about 1.5 hours ago, battery has drained 20% since then with no usage! This is awful!
Roughly the same numbers here.
Apple did get something right however. Overall, majority of users are saying that the over the air update to get iOS 5.0.1 worked fantastic. We did see a few frustrated readers who weren’t able to receive the OTA update because their battery was below 50%.
As of now we can’t confirm this, but certainly some users seem to still have issues. What are you experiencing? Is battery life still draining, and how did the OTA update go?
Update: “The recent iOS software update addressed many of the battery issues that some customers experienced on their iOS 5 devices,” Apple said in a statement given to AllThingsD. “We continue to investigate a few remaining issues.” Expand Expanding Close
Steve Jobs has been nominated for Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” by NBC’s “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams. If Steve Jobs were to receive the award, he would be the first person to receive it after their death. Mark Zuckerburg was 2010’s winner, who recently told reporters he was inspired by Steve Jobs while building Facebook. Brian Williams said in his nomination speech:
“One guy, who changed our world, and I said to Seth Meyers as we walked across Sixth Avenue, ‘Just look with me on this one block walk at how he changed the world around us. Look at how he changed the world.’ Not only did he change the world, but he gave us that spirit again that something was possible that you could look at a piece of plastic or glass and move your finger– that’s outlandish. You could make things bigger or smaller like that. ‘Oh the places you’ll go’ and oh the way you will change forever the music and television industries. So may he rest in peace, Steve Jobs, and the spirit he represents, are my nominee for Person of the Year.”
A video has also surfaced this evening (above) showing a segment of the never before seen interview of Steve Jobs by Robert Cringely. The interview is due out in theaters soon, but Cringely has revealed a few parts early.
MacBook Airs ship with one of two models of SSD. You either get a moderately fast Toshiba SSD or a significantly faster samsung drive with an updated controller. But for some, that’s not enough.
We’ve pointed out in the past that OWC provides a new SSD called the OWC Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD, and it’s definitely something speed freaks will want to look into. AnandTech has reviewed the Mercury Aura Pro Express 6G SSD, confirming the benchmarks and blowing away just about any laptop or desktop SSD on the market.
AnandTech breaks it down:
Performance is just staggering. The comparison is borderline unfair because both the Samsung and Toshiba controllers Apple uses in its MacBook Air are really a generation old at this point, while the Mercury Aura Pro Express is the absolute latest and greatest 6Gbps solution SandForce offers.
As you can see in the chart above, the 6G SSD offers a 4KB 88.4 MB/s write and 30.4 MB/s read speed, and 128KB sequential write speed of 495.1 MB/s and read speed of 451.4 MB/s. Sadly, the SSD packs a SandForce controller which requires more power, so using this SSD adds up to 5% to battery drain on the notebook, but with these speeds we think you’ll get over it.
OWC makes 6G SSD available in both a 120GB and 240GB version, costing $280 and $550 respectively. If you’re big into speed this might be for you. For all the details check out AnandTech’s review.
So is the speed advantage noticeable day to day? Want a bigger product? Read on:
Confirming what we already told you yesterday, Apple has said the company has no current plans to implement Siri into any other iOS devices besides the iPhone 4S. Apple confirmed the news in an email (seen after the break) to developer Michael Steeber.
Engineering has provided the following feedback regarding this issue:Siri only works on iPhone 4S and we currently have no plans to support older devices.
That doesn’t mean however that developers won’t continue to work on building Siri for later iOS device — like the iPhone 4 and 3GS. Curious to see how it works on an iPhone 4? Check it out after the break, along with a screenshot of the email:
Yesterday, iOS hackers Conrad and Chpwnexposed the upcoming panorama mode in the iOS camera app that we previously revealed. While you can enable it a little easier by using the jailbreak tweak available on Cydia, for those of us who don’t jailbreak, Funky Space Monkeyshows us how to do it. We followed the steps, and it works just fine!
3. Open iBackupBot and find the backup, then load it.
4. Find Library/Preferences/com.apple.mobileslideshow.plist and open the file. (if your software isn’t registered you’ll have to press cancel and then it will open)
Apple has updated their Apple Store app to version 2.0 featuring EasyPay and Personal Pickup. As we’ve already outlined, EasyPay allows customers to purchase cheaper accessories in the Apple Store through the app, rather than having to deal with an Apple sales rep. Store workers we’ve contacted have called this “EasyTheft” because of the perceived ease in which someone could walk out of a store with an item without paying.
Personal Pickup allows you to request an item to be purchased at a Retail Store through the app, and it will be ready within 12 minutes. This will be amazing for commuter stores like the new Grand Central location.
Finally, Track your Stuff does what you think it does from the ‘more’ tab’.
On Apple Store shelves, you’ll see signs like this one spotted last week:
Apple is holding a training session with new managers to address unionizing tomorrow, reportsCNet. The session will be held to address unions in the workplace and take any legal questions they might have. The internal document obtained by CNet said the following:
“This course is intended to provide managers with a practical understanding of how unions affect the workplace, how and why employees organize, and the legal do’s and don’ts of dealing with unions. This is a mandatory class for all new managers, and is required biannually for all managers.”
The course will then become a biannual occasion for all of Apple’s retail managers. The push for this course by Apple’s executive team most likely comes after early this year when Apple employees began pushing for the “Apple Retail Workers Union” that would address issues of part-time employees being underpaid. Other issues also included training opportunities and break schedules.
Security expert Charlie Miller has found a flaw in code signing on iOS devices (via Forbes) that allows developers to sneak malware apps onto the App Store without Apple’s detection. The malware can then be used to read user’s contacts, make the phone vibrate or sound a ringtone, steal user’s photos, and more whenever the developer chooses. Sketchy!
To shed more light on the exploit Miller is giving a talk at the SysCan conference in Taiwan next week, but he does a good job in showing it off in the video above. Miller isn’t a novice to iOS and Mac security by any means. In 2008 Miller broke into the MacBook Air in two minutes through Safari and more.
Users would definitely be taken by surprise, seeing as we’re all pretty comfortable with how secure Apple keeps the App Store with the company’s review process. Sadly, it looks like any app could be used to harm users. For now, we suggest you keep away from lesser-known apps and developers until Apple issues a fix for the exploit.
Miller’s app has been both removed from the App Store and his developer account has been closed. At any rate, this was definitely a nice find.
In tomorrow’s election, disabled voters in five counties across Oregon will now be able to vote from an iPad. Election officials will be equipped with an iPad to visit disabled voters in nursing homes, parks, and various other places so they can cast their votes easier. The preloaded app on the iPad will allow the user to tap the screen to select a candidate, and then the ballot will be printed out by an Election official.
For the disabled that can’t do it themselves, Election officials will touch the iPad for them. And for the voters with poor vision, the app allows them to change the font size and color to their satisfaction.
Apple has donated five iPads to Oregon to test out the program, but the Oregon state government had to spend $72,000 on the software that runs on the iPads. To deploy the iPad statewide, if the pilot program is successful, the state would need to buy 72 iPads (2 per county) for a total of $36,000. If successful, this program will most likely spread country wide. (via Yahoo/AP).
During their earnings call this afternoon, CBS’s Les Moonves made comment (via GigaOm) that the media company turned down a partnership with Apple for a streaming deal on the Apple TV. Moonves says that the deal was turned down because of the ad-split revenue that Apple was trying to reach an agreement over.
It has been long rumored that Apple has been working on reaching subscription deals with media companies. In Steve Job’s official biography by Walter Isaacson, it was revealed that Steve Jobs “cracked the TV”. Today’s comments reveal that Apple is indeed going after media companies for agreements. But why?
These types of agreements will be implemented into the rumored “iTV” that is supposedly coming in 2012. From the D8 conference:
Then you get into another problem. Which is there isn’t a cable operator that is national. There is a bunch of cable providers. There isn’t like a GSM standard like with phones. Every country has different standards, different government approvals. It’s very balkanized. I’m sure smarter people than us will figure this out. That’s why when we say Apple TV as a hobby we use this phrase.
The first app to come out of Kevin Rose’s newly founded app development company Milk has hit the iTunes App Store for free. The app is called Oink and is available for both the iPhone and iPad and allows you to ‘rate and rank things around you’. The app takes a Foursquare check-in approach, but focuses on ranking a product inside of a business rather than checking into the actual business.
Oink has a social aspect to it allowing you to build “cred” as you check-in more. Your check-ins are sent out to all of your Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare friends.
What’s really cool about the app is that it will help users find not only the best places in town, but the best items in the places. Oink gives you the ability to rank those items. We’re checking it out right now. (via TechCrunch)
Update: Siri appears to be back online. Let us know in the comment below if it is working for you.
Many publications, including us, have found that Siri is experiencing its first extended outage across the United States. When users try to say a command or ask a question Siri responds back with,”there’s something wrong, and I can’t answer your questions right now. Please try again in a little while.”
Twitter users are weighing in experiencing the same issues for the better part of today. Siri does appear to be working in other countries, however. Apple has yet to comment, but we’ll keep you updated. Are you experiencing this too?
Following the release of iOS 5.0.1 this afternoon to developers, Apple has released iTunes 10.5.1 Beta 2 to developers this evening. Along with being posted to the Developer Center, Apple has sent out the following email to developers. In the email Apple now reveals that iTunes Match has been made available for Apple TV. This update also includes a number of bug fixes. Sadly, iTunes Match still isn’t available to the public.
iTunes 10.5.1 beta 2 is now available and includes a number of important stability and performance improvements. iTunes Match is also now available for testing on Apple TV.
On your Apple TV, choose Music > Turn on iTunes Match.
Please remember to backup regularly and do not delete the music you add to iCloud from your computer.
How’s it looking on your Apple TV? Let us know; tips@9to5mac.com. Full email after the break:
Update: iOS 5.0.1 expires for developers on Wednesday December 14th — interesting.
Apple has just begun seeding iOS 5.0.1 (9A402) to developers. The new update features battery life fixes, multitasking gestures on the original iPad, improves Voice recognition for Australian users, and features other bug and security fixes. The update weighs in at 811MB. Go ahead and download it on the Developer Center!
iOS 5.0.1 beta contains improvements and other bug fixes including: – Fixes bugs affecting battery life – Adds Multitasking Gestures for original iPad – Resolves bugs with Documents in the Cloud – Improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation – Contains security improvements
iOS 5.0.1 beta introduces a new way for developers to specify files that should remain on device, even in low storage situations.
Confirming the release notes, Apple has shared with AllThingsD this afternoon that an update for battery life on iOS 5 will be coming in a few weeks.
Twelve South has sent us their just announced BassJump 2 portable subwoofer. The original BassJump’s focus was to be a subwoofer add-on to your MacBook Pro/Air speakers. The BassJump 2 is more of a software update, than hardware, but we figured we’d check out the full package to tell you if its a peripheral that deserves a spot on your desk.
The BassJump 2 is available for $69, including free shipping and the new software. BassJump 2 ships with beautiful packaging and includes the subwoofer inside, a USB cord, and a carrying case for when you need to take your BassJump on the go. So how does it compare to the Macbook Air’s “internal bass” and is it worth the $69 price tag? Read on after the break for the full review, gallery, and video.
Following our reports last week of Apple’s Ship to Store system being rolled out in San Francisco, we have learned this evening that Apple plans to rollout the new system to all regions this Thursday, November 3rd. The Ship to Store system will allow customers to place an order for a product on Apple’s Online Store and then pick up their purchase at their local Apple Store within the hour.
Customers will also be able to purchase cheaper products like cases on their own inside the store without having to deal with a sales rep, using their iOS device that has a camera. The processing of the purchase will be done through Apple’s updated retail app that will launch before Thursday. Internally this new system is being dubbed “EasyTheft”, based off a pun of Apple’s “EasyPay” system they use in-store to process sales.
We have also learned that Apple is holding an overnight tonight at their retail stores to talk specifics of the new “EasyTheft” system and rearrange accessories that will be available for purchase. We look forward to seeing the new systems in all U.S. retail markets this Thursday.
C Spire confirmed via press release today after announcing it last month, that Apple’s iPhone 4S will be available on their network on November 11th in the Southeastern United States. C Spire will keep with Apple’s pricing, offering the 16GB version for $199, 32GB version for $299, and the 64GB version for $399. The carrier will be offering 4 plans with the iPhone 4S, outlined below. For those who don’t want to go with a data plan they can pay for it as they go for one penny per five kilobytes.
Plans 1 and 2 above, while they have unlimited data, somehow only allow 30 minutes of streaming video per month. Having the iPhone 4S available on CDMA C Spire is part of Apple’s plan to expand availability of the iPhone to almost everyone. C Spire currently has almost a million customers in Mississippi, Florida, and parts of Alabama and Georgia and Tennessee and boasts “the highest level of smartphone penetration among carriers in the US”.
